''The Secret of the Loch'' is a 1934 British film about the

Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness Monster (), known affectionately as Nessie, is a mythical creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or more humps protrud ...

. It is the first film made about the monster. It was edited by David Lean. Charles Bennett said the film was based on his original idea. He later admitted it was "terrible... but amusing".Tom Waver, ''Double Feature Creature Attack: A Monster Merger of Two More Volumes of Classic Interviews'' McFarland, 2003 p 18-19

Premise

Professor Heggie is determined to prove to a sceptical scientific community the existence of a dinosaur living in

Loch Ness Loch Ness (; ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for claimed sightings of the cryptozoology, cryptozoological Loch Ness Mons ...

. Young London reporter Jimmy Anderson believes him and offers to help. He also falls in love with Angela, the professor's granddaughter. Jimmy finally plucks up the courage to enter the Loch himself, where he comes face to face with the monster.

Cast

Production

The film was inspired by the success of ''King Kong''. It was made by Bray Wyndham, an independent producer using Ealing’s studios and technicians while

Basil Dean Basil Herbert Dean CBE (27 September 1888 – 22 April 1978) was an English actor, writer, producer and director in the theatre and in cinema. He founded the Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool Repertory Company in 1911 and in the First World War, a ...

had a dispute with RKO. Prominent billing was given to Seymour Hicks. Director Milton Rosmer was borrowed from Gaumont, although George King was originally announced for the job. Charles Bennett and Billie Bristow visited Loch Ness in December 1933 to research the film. Bennett later said "I went up to the Scottish highlands and searched out Loch Ness. I never met the monster, but I found a wonderful Scotch whiskey." The film was known as ''Sinister Deeps''. The film was shot over four weeks. In the film, the "monster" was portrayed by a young

green iguana The green iguana (''Iguana iguana''), also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly Herbivory, herbivorous species of lizard of the genus ''Iguana''. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. ...

Critical reception

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' called the film "a trite programmer which doesn't make one believe in the humans' actions, much less the sea serpent's"; while ''

Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was ...

'' called it a "fairly amusing British monster movie...obscure but entertaining oddity"; and ''Britmovie'' noted an "enjoyable comic romp."

References

External links